Validating STEM Faculty Self-reported Research Success with Web of Science Bibliometrics

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Sunday 11:45 am
  In Poster Session: Faculty Teaching, Evaluation, and Development

Abstract

This study aims to compare and validate STEM faculty members’ self-reported research success with Web of Science bibliometric data longitudinally. Across three years, STEM faculty recruited from 10 US universities completed an online survey measuring research success regarding activity and publication output. Their responses were matched with bibliometric data, specifically number of publications and citations. Bibliometric publication count had strong correlations with self-reported success for publishing research, versus self-report for research activity. Self-report and bibliometric data had stronger correlations when the timeframe for the bibliometrics was closer to the time the survey was administered. The results support the use of self-report data by researchers and administrators as a valid, cost-effective alternative to bibliometric measures for evaluating research success.

Authors

• Zachary Mark Schultz, University of North Dakota

• Muhammad Salahuddin, University of North Dakota

• Godwin Ahiase, University of North Dakota

• Robert H. Stupnisky, University of North Dakota